Bluffton hearts & darts

The town’s planning commission recently gave its blessing to a more streamlined process for people in the historic district to replace their dilapidated mobile homes.

The proposal, which would affect 59 homes, should give residents incentive to replace their aging or damaged homes with new ones. It comes at a time when the town is working on a program that would offer modular homes and financial assistance to qualified residents interested in replacing old mobile homes throughout town.

Bluffton’s affordable housing committee has budgeted $83,900 for the Bluffton Home Series this fiscal year.

Together, these plans should have a positive impact on the town’s aesthetics. More important, however, is their potential to improve the living situations of low-income families all over Bluffton.

LEGISLATURE FALLS SHORT OF ETHICS REFORM

Darts ...

to the South Carolina Legislature’s failure to pass a comprehensive ethics bill.

Legislators discussed ethics reform for two years, but their session ended last month without the Senate taking a vote on a proposal that passed the House of Representatives. The state’s current law has not been updated in more than two decades.

The blame should not fall on the senators who ran out the clock on the session, as we agree with them the bill was not strong enough and would have allowed lawmakers to pat themselves on the back for passing ethics “reform” without having to operate under a strict law going forward.

In a Wednesday column for Bluffton Today, Republican Sen. Tom Davis of Beaufort and Sen. Vincent Sheheen, the Democratic candidate for governor, pointed out a glaring flaw: The proposal did not provide a plan for “independent oversight of elected officials’ behavior.”

Lawmakers should not be left to police themselves. Our state deserves better and we hope the Legislature at large takes ethics reform more seriously in its next session.

LIONS CLUB GIVES BACK WITH CAMP LEO

Hearts ... to the area volunteers preparing to assist children from across the state in this month’s Camp Leo sponsored by the Lions Club.

Since 1977, local Lions have welcomed children with vision and hearing impairments, hailing from the Upstate to Charleston, to Hilton Head Island for a week of sailing, kayaking, fishing, zip-lining, miniature golfing and crabbing.

It’s easy sometimes to take for granted that we live and work in a place people around the country view as a little slice of paradise, but events like this can be a reminder of all the Lowcountry has to offer. And of the opportunity we have to give back to others by welcoming them in and sharing things we’re fortunate enough to experience every day.

Bluffton is fortunate to be home to one of the nation’s top amateur golf tournaments, as the Heritage Classic Foundation event allows highly-ranked players from all over the world to compete for an exemption into the following year’s RBC Heritage.

Past champions include British Open winner Ben Curtis and established PGA Tour players like Rickie Fowler, Greenville’s Bill Haas and Savannah’s Brian Harman.

The first round starts Thursday morning and admission is free. In a few years, your best chance to see many of these guys play again will be in Harbour Town at the Heritage.

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